The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-17
a GIRL DuLL-FIGuTER.


.'s A Wonderful Thrust.
city Of Aetteo Litter TO Indianapolis Journal.
Just prior to the taking effect Of tho dc.
cree against bull fighting l was fortunate
enough to witness a contest in which one
Of the most skillful, daring and expert Of
the professional fighters Of Mexico took a
leading part. This performer was a young
woman, whoae equal has probably never
appeared in the "Plaza da Toros." In this
her farewell exhibition senorita Herman.
dez advertised for the widest and lercest
bulls in the country could produce, ..and
agreed to fight them while wearing stills.
The novelty Of young girl engaging in Il
bull'dght handicapped by having stills
fastened to her feet was sufficient to at
tract a vast crowd, and on the day fixed
for the event fully 5000 persons found
places to cit or stand In the large amphi-
theatre, The animals provided for the
occasion were small, active and wholly
untamed, each having his horns trimmed
and polished untiithe points were as bright
and almost al sharp az needles. Never was
more expert work done in this cruel
sport than was performed by tho Mexi.
can girl that day. AS the bull, mad with
rage, wonld make his furious charge, she
would stand until he had approached
| within a distance OF about three feet,
when, suddenly springing to one side, she
would, as the animal rushed iuriously by,
with n hand slap him in the face with
the red cloak with which his anger had
been first aroused, while with the other
hand she dexterously thrust into his neck
q gaudy barbed "banderilla,p causing him
TO roar with pain and. rage. Charge after
charge was made by the %maddened brute,
only to be eluded by the active girl, while
the bull met the came treatment as before.
The little nenorita played with him,
plagued him, and tortured him as a cat
would a mouse, until the animal, bleed.
ing and sore and worn out with fatigue
and pain, gave up the contest and would
fight no more. He had met his conqueror,
and was taken from the ring. 'gr -
In the next contest the fair Castilian
was under an advertised obligation, while
yet wearing the stilta, to kiil the bull
with a sword scarcely more than two feet
in length. This waa to be done by the
toreadora at the time the animal was
making the charge, the fatal thrust to be
given while she was directly in front OF
and fairly, facing the bull.
The animal selected for this contest was
q beautiful specimen Of his race. Black as
3 coal, agile as q cat, savage and wild, he
was no sooner within the arena than he
was ready for the battle, After he had
been permitted to make & charge or two
to warm him up to his work, the Gov.
ernor, who presided on the occasion, gave
a signal and the bugls sounded the death
call" The senorlta, with stills OF one
foot in height securely fastened to her
limbo, received the short sword, aaluted
the Governor, and, turning to her enemy,
gave a shout OF defiance and waved
nor scarlet cloak to rouse his anger.
At this time the distance separating the
antagonists was almost 200 feet. Toro,
quivering with excitement and paving the
Garth tn his rage, waited for uo eecond in
vitstion., With flashing eyes and head
lowered to the ground he started at full
speed foy The object OF his hats. Tbs brave
girl waited until the beast was within
twenty feet, when, bracing herself firmly,
she held her sword at shoulder height
ready ior his coming. When within about
four ieet she threw her body suddenly Tor
ward, gave a quick thrust with the sword.
snd, without waiting to see the effect OF
the blow, swung quickly around and again
salnted the Governor. In the twiAklinv
Of an eye she turned to lace the bull, and
ms she did go he dropped dead, 80 close to
her that, without moving from her posi-.
tim. Rhe p1eced nna foot nno,, tho roal, II
her now helpless enemy.
The sword, directed by a strong arm Of
the self-possessed girl, had severed the
spinal cord, and death was instantaneous
and probably painless. 1t was a perilous
feat, skilliully and fearlesaly performed,
and tho slightest nervousness on the part
the performer would probably have re-
suited in her death. The great audience,
in recognition Of the skill OF the brave
toreadora, rose to its feet, and for several
moments there was a shower OF gold and
silver coins falling around the victorious
Hr. L."#. |